faithfulflame | Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

[It's been nearly two years in Luceti, and Rei's come to realize that things are very different for her than they were initially. Then, she'd been so focused on getting home, getting back to the fight, and finishing what she'd started. But everything that'd happened since that time had given her other things to focus on, other people to care about besides just the Senshi, and a semblance of happiness she'd not had at home. People to trust, a shrine to call her own, and a way to grow stronger without having to rely in the power of Mars and that link to the past. It was nice, having that life, even the experiments and friends randomly disappearing were better than being dead.

Haruhi's departure had been a little shocking, but then...every time someone left it meant they were just going back to the life they'd been stolen from. Even as much as she'd grown attached to the place, going home still felt right, like it was the way things should go. After all, destiny could only be put off for so long. Which she knew all to well applied to her, that she shouldn't wish too hard to delay the inevitable, but all the same she couldn't quite bring herself to hope for that. Even if you knew you'd come back, and everything would be alright in the end, there was something oddly morbid about wishing for death.

Rather than dwell on it, though, Rei does what she does best: she moves on with her life with a sigh. Today is Setsubun after all, so inevitably, she finds herself in the shrine. After a while she decides to perform a flame reading of her own future, something she's been putting off for a while. Unsurprisingly the results are too much of a jumble to make much sense, though Fenimore is beginning to feature more prominently in them. Disappointed that she couldn't get more, she decides to set up a broadcast because even if she can't get a proper Setsubun ceremony going this year, Rei feels she should at least do something.]

Video

Good afternoon, Luceti, and welcome to any New Feathers that have just arrived. For those of you that do not know me, my name is Rei Hino and I run Tsukino Shrine, across the river from the Flame building. It's a peaceful place and it's open to visitors at any time, regardless of spiritual beliefs.

As today is a sort of traditional festival day in my world, I'll be offering fortune telling and flame readings to anyone who visits today. If you have an interest in knowing a bit more about your future, your luck, or other things, feel free to come by and I will be happy to help you.

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows much about carpentry. There are some parts of the shrine that are beginning to get a little worn and some improvements I'd like to make, though I need some help with that. Any assistance or advice would be appreciated. I'm more than happy to offer what services I can in return. Baking, limited enchanting, exorcisms, omamori and other charms, or even just help with yardwork.

[And she bows to the camera before turning off the feed.]

[As promised, Rei is at the shrine, and while she'll be replying to journals she'd prefer in person visits!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Rei-chan, do you talk to many people here who don't believe in Luceti's spirits? [She means the filial spirits, as the thought occurs to her. It seems like this is the sort of place that would beg belief, with so much evidence as people use the spirits' powers.]

A lot of newcomers don't, but anyone who's been around long enough to remember last spring certainly won't question their existence.

I still don't know what enabled the spirits to grow that strong suddenly, or what their goal was at the time.

I thought it was because the shadow spirit was let loose?

I wonder about that. It doesn't make sense to believe that would free the others. [No matter what they've been told.]

No, they seemed to want to bind Twila. I...helped get a few spirits out of friends, and I got a sense of what they wanted. But it was during the time when I thought I was older.

[Well, she trusts Rei's spiritual sense far more than she trusts rumor - or certainly information from the Malnosso, at least.]

But in that case, what was Twila's goal? [Oh, not the immediate, obvious one. The end game.]

I...don't know. Freedom is obvious, but I don't really see Twila as truly evil. Just dark.

[Rei, you have absolutely no idea how reassuring it is to hear that comment and thought. But then, Rei always had been the one to understand that the most.]

Then why gather together to stop her, though?

[Darkness and Light are just aspects of her belief.]

That...I have no idea about. I wouldn't even begin to guess their motivation, I just know there was a sense of urgency about sealing Twila.

[Oh, she remembers Rei telling her everyone has darkness in them, and that means it's not something to be afraid of or ashamed of, or hate yourself for; it's something to face and acknowledge and overcome.

She hadn't done so well at the last part, at first.]

We know even less about the spirits here than about the Malnosso.

[Rei would argue that she did overcome it...but...would Ami listen? Probably not.]

That's true. It's something I wish we could learn more about.

There should be a way. There must be information about them somewhere. The Malnosso couldn't have ignored them, if nothing else.

Well, considering Twila was sealed in what I...believe was a Malnosso facility? No, I doubt they have, but I could be wrong. The tunnels were from the Malnosso, yes?

Their notes might be in another facility. [There hadn't exactly been time to thoroughly search the place when they'd interrupted the experiments once.]

Very possibly. After all, there were all those rooms we found last summer.

It might be time to search them again. [It's not like they don't have tools for it. She even has her teletia-S to help them get past potential sticky situations.]

Maybe so. Perhaps after we've made it through Valentine's...

[She's been trying to put that out of her mind. It will be lovely with Luke... but what if it isn't with Luke? And what if neither of them can do anything about that? It wouldn't change their true feelings... right? but wouldn't it seem wrong somehow?]

Mm... After that might be better. [If she seems a bit preoccupied, it's because now, she is.]

[Rei takes a bite of her food, suddenly thoughtful. Valentine's...with Fenimore might not be so bad. But then, there was always the possibility for something horrible.]

[And for once Ami takes the hopeful route.]

It might not be bad. Valentine's Day, I mean. It might not do anything bad this time.

[There's something in her that just can't totally think a day for love can be totally usurped.]

Thirteenth Prayer: A Flash of the Future [Video/Action]

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